Year: 2020

Categories
Brain Hacks

Using Your Brain to Improve Your Project Management Skills

Use Your Brian
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Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “Work smarter, not harder.” One way to do that is to learn how to use more of your brain. If you’re a project manager, you can employ cultural neuroscience to improve your management skills. Sound complicated? Don’t worry; the concept of cultural neuroscience can be used to simplify the problem-solving process.

Project Management

Project management involves leading a team of individuals to complete a particular project within a specified amount of time. Regardless of the type of project, there are specific skills every project manager must possess to complete their tasks successfully. Those include good time management skills, relationship management skills, and organizational awareness. Additionally, project managers must understand how their team members’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviors impact their productivity. Employing the concepts of cultural neuroscience helps project managers improve their project management skills.

Communication

Project managers must be able to communicate the scope and nature of the project effectively to those involved. Team members need clear direction concerning their roles and responsibilities. Stakeholders should receive status updates. As a project manager, controlling your emotions is essential. That doesn’t mean suppressing your feelings entirely. However, you should be aware that what you’re feeling affects your communication and how others react.

Time Management

Aside from handling scheduling, project managers need to keep meetings on track and manage their own time. When project managers become stressed, it affects their ability to make rational decisions. They can reduce stress by reprioritizing assignments and eliminating unnecessary tasks from their calendars.

Problem Solving

According to Harvard researchers, adult brains can still regenerate cells and make new connections. That means we are capable of change. This ability to change has allowed us to modify our brain’s biological makeup and how it functions to survive and operate effectively in society. It also means we can develop the necessary skills to handle increasingly complex and challenging problems and decisions.

Organizational Awareness

Because competing projects may require the same people and resources, project managers should become familiar with other projects occurring at the same time within their organization. People from different backgrounds respond differently to stress related to change based on their experiences. Project managers can use their awareness of these differences to proactively address potential concerns created by projects before they manifest in the form of an adverse cultural reaction.

Diplomacy

Cultural neuroscience exposes how culture influences empathy. People seem to be better at correctly identifying the emotions of members of their groups versus other groups. Individuals of different cultures recognize others’ feelings and infer others’ intentions. There is always the potential for personality clashes among team members. As a project manager, you should be prepared to negotiate the unexpected.

What Is Cultural Neuroscience?

Cultural neuroscience is an emerging component of leadership development of global project managers. Coined by researchers in 2007, the term cultural neuroscience refers to the growing body of research in cognitive and social neuroscience. Studies have demonstrated the degree to which culture influences how our brains process information. Behavioral project management involves integrating behavioral sciences and neuroscience with project management.

In discussing cultural neuroscience with PMtips, Carole Osterweil, an executive and project leadership coach and author, explains what she feels is essential for every project manager to know. First, they must understand that the primary goal of the human brain is to ensure survival. Anything that threatens that survival, whether physical or social, will trigger a fight or flight response. Understanding how the brain functions help us learn to manage our emotions. Project managers who can manage their feelings can better understand others’ motives and address factors that could affect others’ feelings.

Too many projects fail because project managers focus solely on the project’s technical aspect and don’t consider its cultural impact on the people and their environment. Behind every project are individuals making decisions motivated by behaviors and attitudes based on their cultural differences. As cultural neuroscience shows, project managers can develop the skills needed to mediate conflict and mend divides created by cultural differences.

Organizations must understand that today’s marketplace leaders can no longer concentrate their efforts on one geographical area. Competition is forcing companies to expand globally if they wish to remain relevant in today’s marketplace. Along with this global expansion comes a diversified marketplace involving people with varying viewpoints.

Project managers must possess people skills to lead initiatives properly. It’s essential to understand a project’s human and social implications and respect the people affected if you’re searching for new ways to improve your project management skills, reach out to the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute and check out Workplace Jazz: HOW TO IMPROVISE – 9 Steps to Creating High-Performing Agile Project Teams.

Workplace Jazz

Categories
Streamline Processes

Make It Stop: How to Stop Complicating Your Life

Make it stop
1,483 Views

Life isn’t that complicated, but our inability to focus can make it seem that way. If you don’t start each day with a clear plan and a well-defined goal, your day could unravel and spin out of control. Fortunately, there are simple, proven steps to getting your life back on a more straightforward track.

Why Do People Make Life Complicated?

Most of us don’t want to make our lives more complicated or stressful, so why do we do it? Most of us do it unintentionally. We think a complicated problem must have a complicated solution. In reality, a simple answer is usually the easiest and most effective solution.

Neuroscientists have found differences in certain portions of the brain among people who “overly complicate” things by being too literal and unable to see simple solutions. These people seem to operate on a higher plane, but they have difficulty dealing with everyday problems.

Could that be causing you to overthink everything? If you think so, it’s time to bring yourself back to earth. Try this experiment, run your problem by a trusted friend. Ask them to propose a solution. Chances are, they’ll come up with something much simpler than the complicated answer you chose.

Are You Designing Your Life or Letting It Design You?

Are you letting your life get overly complicated? All too often, we can get confused, derailed, and blown off track.

This type of thinking affects many aspects of our lives. According to Psychology Today, financial planner Michael Kay says his clients sometimes complicate their financial lives with too many accounts. As he concludes:

“There is a dividing line between our self-created complexity and our ability to simplify and move forward. We all have habits that ‘feel right’ because we’ve always done them. However, when we examine those habits, we may find that they don’t provide the value they once did. What are you overcomplicating? What can you simplify?”

How to Simplify Your Life

Here are some daily steps you can take immediately to make your life less complicated.

1. Stop worrying about the future: The past is gone, and the future isn’t here. Stop worrying about either one. The present is the only time you can control, and you can get control by having a plan for every day. Use meditation to keep yourself focused on the present moment.

2. Take action: If you can’t face your work right away, start the day by doing something you enjoy. It will “wake up” your mind with something enjoyable and spark your creativity. Don’t use it as an excuse to put off work for too long, however. Procrastination can lead to more complications if you don’t get your work done on time.

3. Change your mindset: Studies on neuroscience and motivation have found that a negative attitude about life can affect your ability to focus on your work and goals. To reverse this, read something inspiring written by a business leader, meditate, write down your goals again and start small. Even a few minutes of action can change your negative mindset into a positive one.

4. Clear the decks: If you have too many commitments, start cutting back on them. Stop saying “yes” to every request. Hire help for specific time-consuming tasks that don’t help you make money. Drop everything that isn’t necessary from your calendar. If it’s complicated, don’t be afraid to ask for assistance.

5. Stop comparing yourself to other people: We all tend to compare ourselves to people whose successes we envy, especially if they’re successful in our chosen field. Of course, we never really know what the lives of those successful people are like. You’ve had your struggles and triumphs. Everyone reaches their life goals at a different pace. You will get there if you stay motivated and work every day.

Make It Stop: Untie the Knots of Your Life

If you’ve let your life become a tangled mess, it’s time to unravel the knots. Look for simple solutions to your daily problems and stop worrying about things you can’t control.

If you’re having trouble with this or any issue related to your productivity, contact me at the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute. My team and I can help you find ways to simplify your schedule and get your life back in balance.

Categories
Reduce Stress

Stress Symptoms You Don’t Want to Ignore

Stress Symptoms You Don't Want to Ignore
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And What To Do About Them

How to Deal With the Physical Signs of Stress

Stress is part of everyone’s life. Every person has moments when they’re running late, missing a deadline, or staring at a stack of unpaid bills. Even sitting in a traffic jam can evoke your body’s stress response.

The Source of Stress Symptoms

Your body has an efficient way to respond to stressful situations. When your brain perceives a threat, it signals the release of several hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. In turn, these substances prepare your body for a physical response: heart rate and breath rate increase. Blood pressure rises. Less critical systems like your digestive tract slow down.

This type of preparation makes sense when you face a physical attacker, but it’s not always helpful when a work project is due. Triggering this response frequently during the day can cause stress symptoms like a lack of focus, trouble sleeping, and an upset stomach. Stress can also make you nervous. After a stressful event, you may feel tired and depressed. As Dr. Hans Selye, an important figure in stress theory, put it, “It’s not the stress that kills us. It’s our reaction to it.”

The Need to Reduce Stress

High levels of stress can cause behaviors that you may not be able to explain. During stressful episodes, some people will start eating junk food that they would never normally consume. Even though they’re tired, they might sit watching television or online videos into the early hours. Allowing stress to control you is not a sustainable way to live. For this reason, I’ve looked for stress reduction techniques that will help maintain better physical and mental health for myself and others.

Stress and Breathing

When the pressure seems too much to bear, a deep breathing technique reduces stress that will slow your body down. Many physical responses to stress like heart rate and blood pressure are out of your direct control. Once the stress response kicks in, they happen automatically. However, if you’re mindful, you can control your breath rate. When I feel anxious, I like to take three deep breaths to slow things down and get my bearings.

A meditation practice when you’re not under pressure can prepare you to deal with high-stress situations. If you have practiced slowing your body and calming your mind, it will be easier to find your rhythm when you’re struggling.

How Does Exercise Reduce Stress?

Exercise is another stress-busting practice. The fight-or-flight response prepares your body for a physical reaction. Your blood sugar rises as your body releases some of the energy stored in fat cells. Going for a brisk walk, jog, or any physical activity will help your body return to balance.

It’s not always practical to leave the office during a stressful time. However, there are plenty of options you can do indoors. If you can find a private space, put in your earbuds and dance for five minutes. Drop to the floor and do 20 pushups. Burning off some of your excess energy can restore you to a calmer place.

Foods That Reduce Stress

When most people think about stress-eating, they imagine unhealthy foods. The stress response converts the simple sugars in your bloodstream into energy for your muscles. For this reason, many people find themselves craving sweet foods after a stressful event. The pattern of experiencing stress followed by consuming unhealthy carbs can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of diabetes. Keeping some whole-grain carbohydrates like a healthy granola bar or a piece of dark chocolate nearby will give you better options.

Another healthy choice for dealing with stress is drinking a cup of herbal tea. Peppermint and chamomile teas are popular choices for a relaxing brew. It’s not just the flavor and smell that are calming. Preparing and drinking hot tea makes you slow down and enjoy the moment.

Creating a Culture of Calm

High-stress work culture may show some short-term results. However, over time, it leads to burnout, high turnover, and a loss of productivity. You can improve your workplace by modeling positive behaviors. Opening time and space for recovery from high-stress events will also improve your culture.

One way to reduce stress in your workplace is organization. A poorly-designed workflow creates a stressful situation. When people clearly understand their roles and know your expectations, they’ll feel a greater sense of control over their work.

Navigating a Stress-Filled World

Stress is not all bad. Too little stress can be just as detrimental to productivity as too much. You want to find a balance where you’re challenged enough to be engaged but not so much that you’re overwhelmed. My goal as a coach at the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute is to give you the tools you need to navigate a stress-filled world successfully.

Categories
Make More Money

Do You Have a Growth Mindset for Making Money?

Man Showing Cards With Growth And Fixed Mindset Text
1,553 Views

Do You Have a Growth Mindset for Making Money?

When it comes to achieving your passive income goals, are you stuck in neutral? Perhaps you know what you need to do, but you’re having a hard time getting started. In that case, you need the power of a “make money mindset” to get things fired up. Here’s how to change your mindset and potentially change your life.

What Can a Positive Money Mindset Do for You?

You might wonder why you need the right mindset to start focusing on your financial goals. We all want to make money, don’t we? We also want to achieve financial security and turn our dreams into reality. So, wouldn’t that mindset just come naturally?

How the Wrong Mindset Can Hurt You

Unfortunately, too many people have what’s called a poverty mindset.

What does this mean? It’s a mindset that defeats you before you can even get started on your drive toward financial freedom. It’s the exact opposite of a growth mindset.

As Katharine Hurst writes on the Law of Attraction blog: “By definition, poverty mindsets are ones in which the person self-sabotages, accidentally undermining their quest for abundance by adopting a negative stance towards wealth. This makes it impossible for you to vibrate on the high frequency required to attract abundance.”

How to Change Your Mindset

Before you write this off as fancy-sounding nonsense, you should know that neuroscientists have mapped visible changes in people’s brains that reflect how they think and feel about money.

Jason Zweig of CNNMoney reported on some of these studies and even let researchers study his brain when it came to money matters. As he notes:

“Your brain developed to improve our species’ odds of survival. Like every other human, you are wired to crave what looks rewarding and shun what seems risky. Your brain has only a thin veneer of modern, analytical circuits that are often no match for the power of the ancient parts of your mind; to counteract these impulses. And when you win, lose or risk money, you stir up some profound emotions, including hope, surprise, regret, greed, and fear.”

Fear Clouds Your Thinking

Other studies have found that a lack of money can negatively affect your ability to reason. In one of these studies, people who were hurting for cash exhibited a 10-point drop in their cognitive ability.

In other words, when you’re dealing with money, you often allow fear to override your ability to reason and think calmly. Your brain goes into panic mode, and it’s impossible to get past the fear to start moving in a positive direction.

When this happens too often, you develop a poverty mindset. Fortunately, you can change it into a positive money growth mindset with just a little work.

Tips for Changing Your Mindset

How do you overcome your negative self-talk? Here are some steps I recommend.

1. Understand what’s happening: Just recognizing what you’re doing to yourself is the first step to stopping the negativity. Pay attention to the signs that you’re starting to slow your roll.

2. Get your mind right with some help: Several books can help you develop a clear, uncluttered, and unafraid mindset. Check out this list of the top 10 books for a better money mindset.

It starts with Carol Dweck’s “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.” The list also includes classics like Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” and newcomers like Daymond John’s “The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage.”

3. Write out your goals and aspirations every day with a pen and paper. The process of writing out your goals and aspirations every day will transform your mindset at the neurological level. Plus, it is a great way to meditate, visualize, and develop a growth mindset.

4. Take action: Action is the antidote to being stuck. Taking one small step or acting for just a few minutes will help dispel your fears and guide you back on the path to a positive, productive mindset.

Fear is often one of the biggest obstacles to success. Are you worried that you’ll make mistakes? Everyone slips up, and you will, too. The important thing is to learn from your errors. Are you afraid of trying something new? That’s only natural, but it’s the only way to grow and learn. You’ll get past those fears by taking action. Little by little, those small actions can add up to something unique.

Are You Ready to Develop a Millionaire Mentality? I Can Help

If you’re struggling with a mindset that holds you back, contact me at the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute. I can help you take practical, actionable steps starting right now to transform your thinking, your business, and your life.

Categories
Increase Productivity

How to Get Out of an Unproductive Cycle

Unproductive Cycle
2,329 Views

How to Get Out of an Unproductive Cycle

Falling into an unproductive loop can cause severe problems within the workplace and in your personal life. We all want to accomplish something great each day, but when stress and other distractions get in the way of our motivation to complete our work, we must take action to stop our unproductive tendencies. Sometimes, waking up in the morning and telling ourselves, “I am going to complete my to-do list today,” isn’t enough. When making a plan to revive your motivation, you must follow actionable steps that will lead you in the right direction.

Take That First Step

When determining how to stop being unproductive, many people are not sure where to start. The key is to remember that there is no perfect time; you have to start doing something. If you have 15 things you need to complete within a specific time frame, try tackling the most unpleasant tasks first. Although you may not want to do those tasks first, it gets them out of the way right from the start. It also gives you a more relaxing day to complete less daunting tasks.

Remember to reward yourself for each difficult task you complete. You can choose any reward you find satisfying: a quick break to eat your favorite donut, a stroll through the park to get some fresh air or a short reading session to enjoy a couple of chapters of an anticipated book.

Get Inspired

It can be challenging to stay on track when you are feeling unproductive and unmotivated. It is helpful to have some idea of a direction to go in, so setting goals that inspire you can help get your brain moving. Take a few moments at the beginning of your workday or workweek to write down some goals you would like to achieve. Don’t just jot down, “Finish that project that my client is waiting for.” Instead, go with something more inspirational and specific, such as “Make my client’s life a little easier by finishing her project before the deadline.” Wording it like this helps you tie the task to helping out another individual.

Prioritize Self-Care

Self-care should also be one of your top priorities. Tasks such as exercising, getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals throughout the day, and having some downtime for yourself are all things that help with productivity. Although not all of these tasks occur during your workday, they get you into the right frame of mind to do your best work.

Exercising improves your overall energy level. Getting enough sleep allows your brain to process information more effectively. Fueling your body with the right foods can improve the way you feel. Make sure to maintain a work-life balance as working too much can make you feel like you’re not getting anything done.

Make Sure You’re in the Right Environment

When considering your productivity level, it is crucial to consider your workplace culture. Perhaps it is expected that people who work for your company get distracted by co-workers, supervisors who are not effective, or other workplace distractions. If possible, ask your supervisor to allow you to work from home with fewer distractions or find a quieter workplace in your office. Communication is vital, and your supervisor should be aware if you find co-workers disruptive. If your supervisor is not addressing the issues, you can go up the chain until you find a solution.

Tap Into Neuroscience

Neuroscience tells us a few things about our minds and their relation to productivity. By making these productivity improvements in your life, you try to reach a Zen-like state where you have no distractions, and your mind is relaxed. In this state, three neurochemicals work together to keep you there: dopamine, noradrenaline, and acetylcholine.

Dopamine involves your reward system, so making sure you have a small reward for yourself for getting work done can trigger this chemical. Noradrenaline comes from the pressure to get something done. If you focus on helping out that client and reminding yourself that the client expects the work done by a specific deadline, noradrenaline produces in your brain.

Acetylcholine involves our ability to remember things. If you don’t have enough of this in your brain, it can cause memory loss and potentially lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Being productive in a positive way can help increase this chemical in your brain and yield additional benefits.

Getting out of an unproductive loop can be challenging, but it can also be gratifying. Focus on keeping a motivating goal list right by your desk to remind yourself of the goals you want to achieve. Cross them off your list as you accomplish them, and remember always to reward yourself with something special when you achieve those goals. It would help if you also had a quiet, inspirational workspace where you can reach a Zen-like state to be productive at work. For more advice on finding your productivity again, reach out to me at the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute.

Categories
Thought Leadership

How Do Leaders Stay Motivated?

Stay Motivated
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How Do Leaders Stay Motivated?

Managing a project requires strong leadership skills and ample amounts of motivation. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to maintain enthusiasm. If you’ve been an industry leader for many years, you may fall into an everyday routine of ensuring that each project goal is being reached on time and within budget.

The best leaders are always motivated and know how to maintain a sense of enthusiasm. That’s essential if you want the people you manage to remain engaged in their work. Keep in mind that it’s challenging to build up your motivation after being demotivated. Whether your stress increases or you become bored with the same tasks, ambition is critical toward ensuring success. These five motivational techniques for leaders will help you better maintain your initiative now and in the future.

1. Make Sure You Acknowledge and Reward Your Accomplishments

One of the critical examples of self-motivation is making sure that you acknowledge and reward your accomplishments during the year. While project management isn’t as driven by routine as some occupations, finding the right time to reward yourself can be challenging. This is especially true when you’re focusing on keeping the people you manage working hard.

Neurotransmitters are responsible for regulating our motivation. Our brain responds to two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from a sense of satisfaction, while extrinsic motivation focuses on an external reward. Using these two together is the best approach. There will undoubtedly be times when you should reward your achievements, which could include everything from reaching a challenging goal to completing an entire project. The most meaningful rewards are those that boost your energy and lower your stress levels. Keep in mind that stress is a crucial factor in a lack of motivation.

2. Identify Ways You Can Improve as a Leader

Identifying ways that you may be able to improve as a leader is important for self-motivation. If you feel like you’re at the end of the road when it comes to your career, finding a new spark can undoubtedly be challenging. However, it would help if you never stopped searching for ways to improve as a leader.

Perfection in leadership is impossible. Nevertheless, you can always look for ways to build on your role as a team leader. Motivation invariably occurs when you’re striving to do better. Set goals that challenge your skills and require you to rise above your usual level.

3. Strike the Right Balance

If you want to stay motivated, it’s not enough to focus on how to increase your motivation. It’s also essential that you understand how to avoid becoming demotivated. One way to prevent this is to strike the right balance between your life and work. While being an effective leader is time-consuming, you must set aside some time for your personal life. Life and work can coexist when you strike the right balance.

This balance isn’t the same for everyone. Businessman and author Stephen Covey says that “leadership is a choice, not a position.” Once you’ve made this choice, it’s vital that you find the balance that works and allows you to remain motivated. Without motivation, your team’s management will be lacking, which only makes it more difficult to reach project goals and maintain a sense of urgency.

4. Delegate Certain Tasks When Necessary

While being bored is an easy way to become demotivated, so is being too stressed when you’re overworked. If you can’t complete all your tasks, don’t hesitate to delegate to other senior members of your team who have the necessary experience. Remember that being a strong leader doesn’t mean that you need to do everything. If you’re swamped with project tasks, you may find that the people you manage are aimless. Giving them more responsibility will also prepare them for future projects.

5. Remember to Eat Healthy and Regularly Exercise

Though not as centered around project management as the previous techniques, eating a healthy diet and exercising are essential if you want to maintain enthusiasm. If you’re sitting all day, you’ll find it challenging to stay engaged with a project.

Spend at least 30 minutes to an hour, exercising every day. This can take the form of walking, running on the treadmill, or doing some peaceful yoga. Eating a healthy diet is also important when maintaining motivation. If you eat poorly, your body will be tired and feel run-down, which only serves to sap your energy and keep your motivation levels low. With the right nutrients in your diet, you’ll notice a boost in enthusiasm and energy.

It can be all too easy to become demotivated when a goal isn’t met, or the people you manage aren’t performing as expected. In most situations, however, there will be enough time to turn things around as long as you take action to change direction. One of the many benefits of self-motivation is that it can take many forms. Whether you exercise daily or challenge yourself to improve as a leader, the steps that you take to strengthen your motivation will pay dividends. If you want to learn more about leadership and motivation, contact Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute today.

Categories
Actionable Insights

Steps to Making Ideas Actionable

Actionable Steps
1,743 Views

Steps to Making Ideas Actionable

Joan Baez said, “Action is the antidote to despair.” Making ideas actionable seems easy enough, but everyday life has a tendency of getting in the way. This is why it’s essential to follow a set of steps. When you make a plan, one that you work on regularly, you’ll be able to turn your ideas into something concrete.

Turning Ideas Into Action Takes Determination

Your brain is fantastic. It has all kinds of ideas. Some of your ideas are bound to be silly, while others are simply marvelous. You might even consider them transformational. Sometimes, when you allow yourself to sink into creative thinking, the ability to sit with your thoughts is all you can handle.

If you are having trouble turning your ideas into action, stop, and assess. Are you spending your time on something else? Use that time to develop a few of your improvement plans instead—schedule planning time. Even if you dedicate an hour a day toward putting an idea into action, you may gain the clarity you need to get started.

Avoid trying out a bunch of different ideas without thinking them through. Establish a clear direction from start to finish. That way, you’ll be able to move from one step to another and eventually see your idea come to fruition.

The Details Behind Putting Ideas Into Action

Putting an idea into action takes time. Visualize yourself performing your idea. Please go through it step by step so that you’ll know every action that you need to take to turn your idea into a reality.

Plan to build some prototype even if your idea isn’t something physical. Then, have someone you trust to view it. Tweak your prototype to include their recommendations and create your final product.

In Jon Spence’s book “Awesomely Simple,” he offers sage advice for those ready to take action on their ideas to improve their business. He recommends six main strategies, which include focusing on:

• Vision
• People
• Performance culture
• Communication
• Urgency
• Customer focus

Turning Ideas Into Reality Is Helped by Neuroscience

There’s a reason why the phrase “getting lost in thought” is a common one. It’s easy to stay in the thought process and never get around to turning ideas into reality. Avoid this by drawing inspiration from people who have had to overcome immense challenges; people like Cathy Hutchinson. She is famous for being “the woman who drank the coffee.”

Why is she famous for performing such a simple action? Cathy suffered from a stroke in 1996, one that paralyzed her and prevented her from speaking. Hutchinson decided to take part in a clinical trial arranged by BrainGate2 in 2012. During the trial, Cathy used a “brain-machine interface” to convert something that she was thinking into action.

To take a drink of her coffee, Cathy imagined that her right arm was moving. The brain machine-turned her thought into action, making her famous. You can follow her lead using the same technique of thinking your way into action.

Take Action on Your Ideas in the Workplace

If you’re ready to take action on your ideas in the workplace, then start by tuning into your passions and natural interests. Be sure to work on building strong relationships with your employees and clients.

Consider what your industry or company could do better and tweak your workplace ideas for improvement purposes. Prepare your company to grow, and don’t let yourself become mired down in endless planning. Perpetual planning will prevent you from taking action. Pick an end day, and move forward on your idea to meet your deadline.

Being afraid to fail holds people back. Remember, you’re likely to make mistakes. Accept them and move past them as they occur. Trust that your aspiration is more significant than your fear of trying something new and challenging. Turning ideas into action is how you’ll grow your business and make it something special.

Get Started

Dale Carnegie said, “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

If you know what you want to do but need a push getting started, then I am here to help you. The Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute helps business professionals develop ways to work smarter instead of harder. I’ll help you tap into your brilliant ideas and inspire you to take steps into making them a reality. To learn more, contact me at the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute today.

Categories
Streamline Processes

Tips to Streamlining a Complex Process

Super streamlined train rides in the city.
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Ways to Streamline a Business Process

The Productivity Intelligence Institute understands the importance of creating a well-designed process in a business setting. As a project manager, developing a sustainable path toward a goal can be just as critical as reaching it. Inefficient processes lead to lost time, unnecessary friction, and frustration. A smooth process accomplishes goals and creates a positive team culture.

Tips to Improve Workflow Efficiency

Improving the efficiency of your workflow is an intentional choice. While some parts of a system will fall together naturally, others will take time and effort to improve. Streamlining your business’s processes is a process in itself.

1. Clarify the Goal

The Greek philosopher Epictetus once wrote, “First say to yourself what you would be; then do what you have to do.” A lack of clarity about the goal is one of the greatest frustrations for team members. If they do not understand what they are working toward, they will struggle to maintain the necessary motivation to achieve it.

2. Third-Person Observation

It can be a challenge to improve a system when you are in the middle of it. Taiichi Ohno, a Japanese businessman, and executive at Toyota, realized the power of observation when he developed the Gemba walk. In this assembly line model, a manager routinely walks through the entire process looking for wasted motions and inefficiencies. In other business settings, you or another employee can talk through your process and look for the friction points that slow things down.

3. Know the Players

Your team includes individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Regular conversations can help you identify the leaders, the dreamers, and the workhorses. Knowing your team will help you assign the right person to the right tas

Discover Your Team’s High-Performance Maturity Score

High-Performing Team

4. Seek Feedback

Your team members are the people with first-person experiences of your workflow. Process-oriented interviews will help you clarify whether a sticking point is a matter of procedure, personality, or lack of training.

5. Automate and Integrate Your Technology

Almost every aspect of a business depends on technology. In the past, a single organization might have worked with several different platforms to get jobs done. As you integrate systems, you will find opportunities to remove tasks from your team. When your project management software solution automatically sends reminders through your communications system, it will prevent missed goals without adding to another team member’s workload.

6. Repeat and Refine

Especially for repeated tasks, working to streamline a process requires sustained effort. As staff members change or new technologies arise, you will need to consider whether your current model is still the most efficient one.

Make a Complex Process Simple: Changing Individual and Group Habits

Whether at work or home, much of what we do happens by habit. According to the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, almost 40% of the average person’s daily activities occur without thought. Neurologically, this makes sense. It takes less mental energy to do routine tasks like tying your shoes or brushing your teeth when you do not have to make a strong conscious effort.

Damaging or ineffective habitual processes can be challenging to break. In the workplace, this can cause inefficiency and a lack of innovation. Simultaneously, people retain poor habits because there is comfort in doing something as they have always done it. For this reason, it is vital to devote time regularly to streamlining.

The Benefits of Streamlining a Process

If you take the time to do this work, you will begin to experience the benefits of streamlining your processes. One of the top advantages is improved team culture. The streamlining task often involves clarifying roles and improving lines of communication. There are fewer unnecessary emails and more meaningful conversations. Your team members will have a stronger sense of personal accountability to the cooperative effort.

Making changes to improve efficiency also inspires an innovative workplace culture. When your team sees that you take their time and gifts seriously, they will be more willing to try new things and share their best ideas.

Higher efficiency means being more productive in less time. Your team will operate with reduced stress levels, leading to a healthier workplace. You will see fewer sick days, improved attitudes, and less burnout.

Getting Started With the Streamline Process

If your business has always done things the same way, you may need help streamlining your processes. The Productivity Intelligence Institute is ready to help you on the journey with online resources, e-learning courses, and productivity coaching services. Contact me today to set up an appointment for a consultation.

Categories
Brain Hacks

How Can You Leverage Neuroscience to Make You a Better Leader?

Entrepreneurs, partners and islamic woman conference in meeting
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How Can You Leverage Neuroscience

In essence, neuroscience analyzes how the billions of nerve cells in your brain develop and interact to form your thoughts and actions. Given that the brain is the most complex and intricate organ in your body, the future of neuroscience is boundless in discovering new concepts about how the brain functions.

The more our understanding of the brain evolves, the more possibilities are created to apply neuroscience principles in business. In your quest to become a leader in your field or even more narrowly within your organization, you can unleash improved productivity and more efficient results by understanding some of the core concepts of neuroscience along with practical ways to train your brain to facilitate and support your professional advancement.

Key Ways to Harness the Power of Applied Neuroscience in Becoming a Leader

With a general understanding of the concept of neuroscience and an appreciation for what it has revealed about brain activity and how to maximize it, you have taken the initial plunge to invest intellectual energy and resources in exploring the potential of applied neuroscience. Implementing these necessary steps will help you take your professional development and business capacity to the next level.

Reinforce the Importance of Staying in the Moment

As Michael Pollan writes in “How to Change Your Mind,” “The efficiencies of the adult mind, useful as they are, blind us to the present moment. We’re constantly jumping ahead to the next thing.” This is a timeless reminder of the importance of harnessing a connection with the present instead of either excessively dwelling on the past or having tunnel vision for the future.

This skill may not come naturally to you, which is not an insurmountable obstacle. Incorporating behaviors that help center and focus your attention on the present will help ground you throughout the day. For example, consider setting a timer for a brief status check every hour to evaluate your progress on the day’s task list. Thinking of the day in intervals will help you maintain focus on necessary short-term tasks without procrastinating by spinning your wheels on past or future issues.

Improve Your Productivity by Avoiding Multitasking

Contrary to popular belief, multitasking is a common culprit behind lost productivity. Rather than focusing on many items at once, multitasking forces you to switch between multiple tasks within a short time frame. This strains your brain with undue pressure to adjust quickly to a new stimulus, exhausting, and adding up to many minutes of wasted productivity per hour. In fact, studies show that up to 23 minutes can be lost when you have to reengage in a task that you were momentarily distracted from with another to-do list item.

Build Short Breaks Into Your Daily Work Schedule

It may seem counterintuitive to turn to scheduled breaks as a way to make you more productive. However, your brain is ultimately more agile and high-functioning when you do not force yourself to stay focused on a single task for long periods. It is recommended that you build in about 15 minutes of break time for every hour you spend working.

One of the best ways to lead by example for your team is to suggest that your direct reports also plan for short breaks throughout the day. This will send an encouraging message to your team that you are invested in their physical and mental well-being as a valuable member of the organization and want them to prioritize their brain health throughout the day.

Reduce Stressful Distractions From Your Work Zone

The modern workplace has trained many adults to continually check their phones and emails for any notification throughout the day. This behavior stresses the brain over time by forcing it to jump away from essential tasks with minor distractions that can amount to major productivity barriers. Try to designate portions of your day that you will go without checking your email for a sustained period of focused work time.

Where to Go From Here to Leverage Neuroscience in Business

Leveraging applied neuroscience to help develop and enhance your leadership skills requires your consistent and active input and a commitment to implementing new ways of thinking, engaging, problem-solving, and planning. Once you have internalized the benefits of applying neuroscience principles to your professional development, the key is to commit to sticking with long-term behavioral changes across multiple aspects of your life. In addition to increasing your productivity and efficiency, applied neuroscience principles can help create an engaging and forward-thinking culture within your team. If you have any additional questions about how to use neuroscience in your business, contact me today.


C-IQ Coach from Gerald Leonard on Vimeo.

Categories
Reduce Stress

A Beginner’s Guide to Reducing Stress

A Beginner's Guide to Reducing Stress
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A Beginner’s Guide to Reducing Stress

The more responsibilities you have, the more stress builds up. If you want to improve workplace culture and be an effective leader, you’ll need to learn how to manage stress and handle tasks without buckling under the pressure.

By managing stress effectively, you’ll become more productive and meet your goals with less friction along the way. Here are my top seven tips to reduce stress.

1. Uncover the true nature of stress

“Calmness is the cradle of power.” – Josiah Gilbert Holland

As you learn how to reduce stress in life, you’ll get better at clearly identifying your problems. According to the Free Medical Dictionary, pressure is a normal response to anything that disrupts your body’s natural physical, emotional, or mental balance.

Any time you’re placed outside of your comfort zone, stress will naturally occur. As we strive and grow, however, it’s often important to face uncomfortable situations. Learning to manage stress will empower you to go outside of your comfort zone without getting overwhelmed.

2. Use productivity techniques to take care of your responsibilities more efficiently

Reducing stress offers benefits that go far beyond improvements to your state of mind. If you learn how to handle stress properly, you’ll also be able to take care of more responsibilities without becoming overwhelmed. Here are a few simple techniques you can use to reduce stress while improving productivity:

• Work outside by taking your calls during a walk or inviting clients to your favorite golf course.
• Plan out tomorrow’s schedule before you go to bed tonight.
• Make time to hit the gym before or after work.
• Break up the day with hands-on tasks that don’t tax your mind.
• Remove clutter from your workspace.

3. Harness the power of meditation to reduce stress naturally

The latest neuroscience research confirms that meditation can reduce stress and promote mental clarity. This includes traditional meditation practices and informal mindfulness, which involves being more attentive and engaged during activities. According to the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, a 2014 scientific review found that meditation leads to “reduced anxiety, depression, stress, pain and improved quality of life.”

4. Identify the early signs of stress

Stress becomes less manageable; the longer you let it run your life. Notice signs of stress as soon as they appear, it will be easier to take proactive measures that get your mind back on the right track. Common symptoms of stress include:

• Difficulty concentrating and memory problems
• Depression, anxiety, or moodiness
• Aching muscles, gastrointestinal distress, or loss of libido
• Overeating or not eating enough
• Sleeping too much or not sleeping enough

5. Take notes from relevant case studies

It’s good to consider some success stories when developing stress-reducing strategies. Do you know any professionals who always seem levelheaded and in control? If you can, ask them about their methods. Chances are that they, too, must deal with stress regularly. However, successful individuals often develop excellent mental resilience.

For many people, increasing mental resilience often involves facing fears, becoming more open to failure, and not focusing so much on always being right. However, it’s also wise to create consistent routines and stick to them. Try to make more room for gratitude and curiosity in your life while also striving to find the positive side of experiences.

6. Understand that you’re not alone

Statistics show that stress is remarkably prevalent in contemporary workplaces. According to a 2017 Statista survey, 62% of adults under 30 experience stress daily, and 55% of adults between the ages of 30 and 59 also reported that they commonly suffer from stress.

Just because stress is common doesn’t mean you have to stick with the herd. With proper coaching, you can rise above the norm and enjoy reducing stress benefits.

7. Follow a step-by-step process

Overcoming stress involves a systematic series of steps. Start incorporating the following techniques to begin the process of kicking stress out of your life:

• Reduce or eliminate using alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
• Exercise and sleep more.
• Take control of your life by learning to say “no.”

Start busting stress to succeed today

In my work with the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute, I’ve worked with many clients who have problems with stress. I know that learning how to relieve stress is only half the battle. You’ll need to put stress-reducing principles into practice to experience the benefits of a more relaxed lifestyle. Reach out to me today to learn more about how my coaching services could help you improve productivity. Every day that your stress keeps you down is another day you haven’t used to its full potential.